The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-10-29
HOW WOVEN BEGIN TO DRINH.
Startling Figures from a Prison
superintendent.

Out OF an examination of 204 inebri
ate women have found that 12S began
their drinking by the use of beer, 81 by
drinking whiskev Gas punch at first usu-
allv), 20 began with wine, eight with
gin, and IL could not remember what
beverage was first used. These young
girls, mill and shop girls largely, began
bv going to some so-called refreshmens
saloon with their friends, and the debu-
tantc usually began by slipping little
tonic (made of hops, sugar and water,
charged with carbonic acid gas and
colored with burnt sugar.; beer soon
followed, and soon rioting, other kinds
of intOxicants, rccklessncss, and crime;
and what was an innocent, foolish girl
Yesterday is to-day branded criminal,
and all for a glass of beer. Alas how
MANY ruined lives have seen.
Beer was also the beverage which
older inebriate women used TO entice
the Younger ones todrink. A call upon
one of these old sots was the signal for
the pitcher of beer to be sent for, and
little coaxing and urging would result
in the first fatal glass being indulge1
in. The steps were then easy. Beer is
the trap which the drunkard maker sets
for the feet of the unwary. And h.
usually makes sure of his prey because
Of it. A glass of raw whiskey would
have presented but slight attraction
to these over-worked, half-fed girls, had
it been offered them at first. After that
sleeping devil, the appetite for intoxi-
cants, had been aroused by beer, it be-
came altogether a different matter, and
at last, in many cases, ChlorofOrm or
nepermint oil was added tc the drink OF
these maddened creatures, so furious
had the appetite become for something
stronger.
1t may be of interest to note that out
of the DON inebriate women, 126 had
been guilty of other crimes, and yet in
but 16 instances did the first commit
ment of crime antedate the habit OF
drinking.
OF the beverages first used, while in
81 cases it began with whiskey, in 1877
It had become the favorite beverage.
Several hopeless drunkards, far gone
toward insanity, had never drank any
other intoxicant than beer.
One hundred and thirty-two were COM
mittcd to prism for drunkenness, Sc for
offences against chastity and public or
der, and Is for crimes against property.
Their ages when last committed averag-
ed 3d. years. Sixty-tive were between
3D and Al years of age, A. between %
and 81 years of age, 81 between 20 and
26years of age, 30 between 10 and q
years of age. The remainder were ov-
eI-41 years of age.
Many of the cider ones could not tell
hon many sentences they had received,
showing the abs 9lute uselessness of pun
isling these poor creatures while temp
tati0ns are left In their way.
To show the effect upon the children
of inebriate parvntage, | collected the
following: OF I'll incbriate- mothers,
33:of whom had inebriate husbands, 408
children were born. OF these 227 per-
isiied in infancy and carly childhood,
anil of the survivors many are doomed
evidently to an early death. In many
cases the death of these children was in
directly due 10 riie inebrietr of the pa
rents, rs cold, deprivation, &c. Ages:
1wenty-seven % the POI women begIn
to drink intoxicants before they Were
% years of age; IL between the ages OF
3and Il; - between ii and 81; 81 be-
tween 30 and d: 33 between % and 81
- between 30 and Al: 3 between 40 and
81. Average age 49, years. More than
one-halt had formed habits Of intemper-
ance before they were u years of aga.
and more than Cne-thirl Mt the Siddy
age of from - to 20 inclusive.
One hundred and thi-ty-two began to
drink socially, aud with female friends.
l.. NJ HALL,
Superintendent Wonlsr's Refotmatory
Prison, Shcrborn. Mass.